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Chapter Text

They say that telling the truth is easy and pleasant. But only if you are not the princess of the Fire Nation.

There has been something wrong with Azula since childhood. It's normal for a little girl to break vases. It's normal for her to then try to blame her brother, who wasn't even in the room. It's not normal to say, "I did it," and then wonder why she said it. Ozai should have been worried about this, asking healers, taking Azula to the Sages of Fire, but instead he was silent, waiting for his daughter to become smarter.

Months have passed and Azula has grown up enough to understand Ozai well. Faster than Zuko, who even now does not always immediately understand what his parent is saying. The prince, deciding what it was time for a serious conversation, sat down on his daughter's level and put his hand on her shoulder.

"My daughter, have you already realized that you can't lie and keep quiet?"

"Yes, Dad" - the observant girl nodded guiltily.

"Father, not Dad. Remember, Azula, your honesty is an imperfection through which enemies can harm me, you or Mom. But you won't need to lie if you can kill those who extorted the truth from you. If the enemies know about it, they just don't ask questions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father, I'll be ready. And Zuzu? He doesn't know how to lie either."

"Zuko, not Zuzu. Tell your brother that if he can't keep quiet, then let him also learn to defend his words."

Evening came, but Azula continued to train hard, despite the approach of her mother.

"Why aren't you in your room yet, Azula?"

"I'm training, Mom" the serious girl replied."

"Why, Azula?"

To be stronger.

To protect the family.

To please my father.

To make you proud of me.

"In order to kill the one who will force me to tell the truth," little Azula proudly declared, expecting praise.

Ursa felt sick and, without saying a word, hurried to drag her daughter, whose soul her father had already scorched, into the bedroom.

Two months later, Azula saw through the bushes how Ozai was talking to Zuko.

"My son Zuko, I want to be proud of you, but you still lag behind your younger sister in firebending."

"I'm trying, Father."

"Trying means nothing without result. Give me a reason to be proud."

"I... you will be proud of me, Father. Will you help my training, how are you helping Azula?"

"I don't have time to train the two of you."

Azula turned around, heading to the training ground to rehearse her imperfect exercises. Zuko is a sweet brother, but her already has a Mother, Azula will not let her brother deprive her of her Father as well.

A few years have passed and Azula has found friends. Mai knows how to keep silent and ask questions that don't sound like questions. Ty lee is the only one of her peers who gave Azula a second chance even after the princess burned her for an inappropriate question. But the main thing is that both have an invaluable talent for lie, becoming indispensable assistants to Azula in matters of deception. After all, the princess doesn't have to talk in person, it's beneath her status. The presence of friends somewhat smoothed out the annoyance that Zuko was not as cute as before - he began to take Azula's jokes too seriously and for some reason resented her when his own kata did not come out perfectly.

Years later, Azula went into her brother's bedroom.

"Dad said he would kill you! Maybe you could find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you!"

Zuko froze in horror and then Ursa entered the room.

"What's going on, young lady?"

"We're talking, Mom," the grown-up girl replied."

"Then why is your brother huddled under the covers?"

"Grandpa ordered Dad to kill Zuzu," Azula replied dejectedly, fearing her mother's reaction.

The woman's heart sank. Ursa thanked Agni in her mind and cursed him in her heart for the fact that Azula does not know how to lie, after which she dragged her daughter to her room to find out the details, leaving Zuko whimpering under the covers.

"Azula never lies, Azula never lies..."

He hated Azula for her ruthless truth.

Two years later, Ozai burned his son's face and first of all summoned his daughter to the throne room, hoping to test her loyalty.

"Is Zuko being punished fairly, Azula?"

"Yes, Father," Azula replied. She was only eleven years old, she was still jealous of Zuko's mother, and firmly believe that her Father was just. Besides, Zuko knew his Father, and therefore it was his own fault - he could have put his face in the bonfire with the same effect.

"That's right, daughter, I'm glad that at least someone in this family is not a disappointment."

Ozai dismissed the princess with a wave of his hand, filled with confidence in his daughter's devotion. The first thing Azula did was rush to the infirmary, scaring away doctors and guards to admire the burn. She had seen many burns and caused most of them to herself and others, but she had never had the opportunity to observe the results of her father's work up close.

Zuzu looked terrible even with bandages and Azula had never seen anything like it. Through the aromatic oils, incense and ointments, the sickening smell of undercooked human meat still penetrated, and the prince himself moaned in his sleep, sometimes trying to cover his face in a belated attempt to escape, then trying to tear off the bandages along with the burn that tormented him. The princess felt sick and suspected that she would associate this smell with Zuko for many years to come. At this thought, Azula hurried to escape - the future warrior princess should have had no reason not to burn enemies and the memory of this day would definitely be one of the reasons. A lightning strike is better, at least it's cleaner.

In the morning, Azula learned from Mai, who learned from Iroh, who learned from Ozai, that her brother was going into exile.

"Well, he didn't deserve it," the princess shrugged, wondering if she was humiliated by such a long chain of information transmission and froze when she realized what she had said.

She had just accused her Father of injustice. She believed that her Father was fair, but she still told Mai what she said. And the worst part is that it wasn't a slip of the tongue. Azula didn't know how to make reservations and lie.

"You shouldn't have heard that, Mai," Azula hissed, igniting selfher hand."

"That's why I didn't hear," her friend smiled thinly, studiously ignoring the blue flame.

Azula nodded and disappeared into her room, where the collapsed into a chair, clutching her head. She really didn't think Zuko deserved to be exiled. Perhaps because she was still haunted by the smell, or perhaps it was the rules of Agni Kai - he had already received his burn, a sign of defeat, exile was superfluous. But it was the Father and the Master of the Fire, he could not be mistaken. Azula was well aware that the threat of becoming like Zuko had become eternal. If her Father thinks to ask... If... For the first time in her life, Azula was looking for a suitable version of the truth to deceive her Father, the last relative who remained in her life.

Azula was already beginning to regret that she had smiled during Agni Kai.

After three agonizing years, Azula was sent to catch an unlucky brother and a treacherous uncle who allowed the Avatar to destroy the fleet of the Fire Nation.

"Father, tell me what to tell them when I catch up with them", the princess asked.

If the Father lie to his relatives through Azula, then she will simply pass on the message. A simple "Father said that..." is enough and the lie will become true.

"There's no need to lie, Azula, you're a capable firebender, bring them both in chains."

Azula's heart sank.

A week later, on the other side of the ocean, Azula, led by a detachment of guards and imperial fire mages, surrounded a building with lost relatives and went inside. After exchanging pleasantries with Iroh and insults with Zuko, she moved on to the main point.

"I brought the news from our Homeland, our Father has changed his mind, he wants to bring you home. He had heard rumors of plots against him, and there was treachery all around. He ordered me to take you home."

Technically, this is true. It would be useful to like that her Father was sorry, but even a genius of deception, let alone a princess with imperfection, could not tell such a monstrous lie without wincing.

Iroh narrowed his eyes.

"Will we be delivered as prisoners?"

"You will definitely end up in prison, you are a traitor according to my father. Zuko, according to him, is just a loser," Azula sighed resignedly, after which she released a ball of flame through the window, calling for help. "Uncle, I hate you."

Instead of answering, Iroh shrugged his shoulders, three one of the warriors out the window and the fun begin. When the princess finally get out from under the closet, which was dropped on her in the first seconds of the battle, the escaped relatives were already far away.

Zuko didn't notice the reservations in his sister's words. He didn't even try to notice them.

Azula began to assemble head team and the first was the girl who knows how to keep friendship. Unfortunately, she loved the circus more than she was afraid of Azula. For now.

"But I feel good here! My aura has turned pink!", Ty Lee exclaimed, "are you sure I'm needed?"

"Father will burn my face like Zuko if I fail," Azula blurted out and covered her mouth with her hand.

Her father had never threatened ver with this..straight. She could tell that this was a matter of national importance. She could have said that she wanted to take revenge on her uncle. She had many options for the truth, but she choose the one she didn't want to believe. Azula hated her imperfection especially fiercely at such moments.

Ty Lee eyes widened more than usual and she hugged Azula once more. The gymnast decided, because she is not capable of betraying the person with whom she first felt like a separate person, and not part of a matched set. And she remembered why it was a bad idea to refuse Azula.

"Are you really going to bring Zuko in chains, Azula?" the gymnast asks halfway to much.

"I want to find another way out for Zuko," the princess breathed and hissed, "Ty Lee, one more question about my plans and your knickers will end up in a tree."

The next in line is the girl who knows how to be silent. Spirits see, any friend of Ty Lee needs such a companion to counterbalance.

"Please tell me you're here to kill me", Mai smiled.

"No," Azula replied with a grin.

"I hate your honesty, you take away hope," Mai continued to smile, after which she greeted her friends.

"Azula and I will bring Zuko home in chains!", Ty Lee exclaimed joyfully, making the porters flinch.

Azula cast a grateful glance in the direction of Ty Lee, and Mai raised an eyebrow. The idea of shackling Zuko aroused a strange interest in her, but...

"Azula?", Mai raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question. Azula has always appreciated Mai for her ability to ask a question that she doesn't have to answer if she wants to.

"Yes, that's my name," Azula glared at Mai and she realized that there was no place for the truth here.

"Yes, Mai, I want to bring Zuko back in a decent way if I have the opportunity," Azula whispered in a more deserted place, "but I have no ideas, I guess I'll have to count on luck and catch a chance."

"The main thing is not to miss our lucky day," Ty Lee nodded.

When Azula recognized the Avatar, she realized that this was her lucky day. Even the Avatar's escape didn't spoil the happiness - just more running after the Avatar and less running after the brother.

Azula followed the trail of white fluffy and found herself surrounded by enemies and traitors, including Zuko. It looked like her brother was really furious, as if she was the one who decided to bring him home. It's okay, he'll calm down later.

"Perhaps, in such a situation, it is logical for me to surrender, while preserving my honor as a princess. I don't see any other way out of the situation right now, except surrender."

Iroh was distracted by the blind stranger, and Azula saw a way out, throwing fire at her uncle and disappearing into the commotion.

Azula continued her pursuit, marking the path with fire, thunder and clothes of the unable to keep silent Ty Lee in the trees - through a huge drill, the fans of the Avatar before last and the gates of the most impregnable city. Finally, three girls in green dresses bowed before the most useless ruler in the world.

"We are the Earth King's humble servants", Mai said in an icy voice. Azula wheezed nearby, her chakra is securely blocked by Ty Lee, so the dangerous truth will not leave the princess's mouth. The usual precaution in case of an inappropriate question from the king, which Azula resorted to back at the Academy.

In the evening, in her chambers, Azula called Mai by name and Long Feng was not surprised in his cell, he had long known about the girl's inability to lie. An hour later, they began planning a coup together.

Long Feng does not ask the obvious question and Azula realizes that she will be betrayed. An ordinary person would ask Azula if she was lying and if she was going to betray him. Long Feng is not an ordinary person and let the princess go. Because Long Feng is a man for whom it is more important not to scare off the princess than to protect himself from treason, which, in his opinion, Azula will not have time to commit anyway. A fool, to put it simply.

The next day, the agent, feeling anxious, informed Long Feng that the princess had gained authority among the Dai Li. Long Feng grinned in response in his cell.

"There's no reason to worry, she's not a player. She is even unable to tell a single word of lies because of some spiritual nonsense."

"I will destroy every one of you who betrays me. I will destroy you all if you betray me. And I will still have enough strength to burn the entire inner ring, don't give me a reason to do this!" the agent recalled Azula's words.

The agent's back became sticky.

"I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power." Azula said a day later, when the city fell to Dai Li's agents. "But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with. The fact is, they don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know, and you know. Well?"

Azula never lies and Long Feng's back was covered in sweat a second before his knees touched the floor. He were never even a player.

The action shifts to the catacombs, where Iroh, the water mage and the Avatar hope to force Zuko's brother to betray Azula and his Father.

Naive.

"Azula, you really...", Iroh was about to ask something, but one of the Dai Li gagged him with a stone glove.

Azula frowned.

"Free his mouth. I never lie and I will be able to convince my brother despite the words of the man who betrayed our Father."

Iroh was saying something about kindness, honor and his path, demanding that Ozai's son, who had been searching for a ghost for three years for the opportunity to reunite with his family, renounce his Father.

Azula was not so grandiloquent, her message is simple and, unlike Iroh, she gives a choice.

I'm your sister. Ozai is our Father. We are waiting for you, brother. Just give our Father a reason to respect you.

And Zuko turned on the Avatar with all his fury.

Since then, the prince had been worried about something, and therefore, upon his return, Azula staged a whole performance in the throne room. The easiest way would be to say that it was Zuko who killed the Avatar, but such a lie will not be able to leave the princess's mouth, so the accents shifted, the chronology was broken, emotions replaced logic, half-truths and unrelated statements remained hanging in the air to assemble into a coherent picture in Ozai's head. Azula almost chokes with delight at her brother's fighting power and a little help from Zuko turns into an epic fight. "The Avatar had dozens of allies ready to turn against us" (somewhere else) and Zuko tied up half of friends Avatara in a fight", "The Avatar entered the Avatar state, but Zuko was not afraid of him" (because it was already at the end of the fight).

"...and then I killed the Avatar with lightning," Azula shrugs, looking like it was the easiest part.

Fortunately, Ozai, like Azula, remained a drama lover in his heart and such a performance did not make him think.

At night, the prince broke into the princess's bedroom.

"What did you do?"

"I fell asleep," Azula glanced at her brother "be specific."

"What kind of performance was that for my Father? You made me look like a hero!"

"I paid tribute to your merits!"

"Why do you need this?"

"Because you worry too much, and the glory of the conqueror Ba Sing Se is enough for me," Azula got out of bed and pushed her brother in the chest, "stop asking me direct questions, Zuzu, this is not an interrogation room."

Zuko was embarrassed.

"But....I don't understand why you need this."

"I want you to be at home, Zuzu. Our family will never be complete without you."

"Why does this bother you?"

Azula put her hand on Zuko's shoulder.

Because the smoke of Agni Kai still haunts me.

Because without you, my Father compares me to himself, no to you.

Because I'm afraid of my Father.

Because it's lonely without you.

"Because I'm your sister. Stop asking me straight out, dumb-dumb."

Zuko was embarrassed again and gently removing his sister's hand.

"Blood is not so important in our family..."

And Iroh in prison is the clearest living proof of that.

"... there must be other reasons," he finishes the thought.

"Well, what other reasons can I have?"

"You are Azula, you are always plotting."

"And one of these plots brought you home. What are you unhappy about?"

"I can't trust you."

Azula straightened her clothes and realized with annoyance that she had been wearing a bathrobe all this time. Damn it.

"Why do you think this is my problem, Zuzu?"

Zuko exasperated and left the room, leaving the implied question hanging unanswered.

The prince continued to twitch and get nervous, even on the beach Zuko was haunted by the shadows of the past and, having insulted Ty Lee and Mei enough, the prince decided to take it out on his sister.

"I guess you wouldn't understand, would you, Azula? Because you're just so perfect."

It wasn't a question, and Azula didn't have to answer it. But something was pulling her to say it voluntarily.

"We have a tearful story contest, perhaps I can find one especially for you, Zuzu."

I'm scared to my knees of my Father.

People only see me as Ozai daughter.

I'm not capable of being human.

I don't know how to lie. I am imperfect.

"Mother loved Zuko more than she loved me. She thought..."

She wanted to add that her mother thought she was a monster and she was right, but Azula never lies. This self-deception is so monstrous and Azula believe in it so much that these words are stuck in her throat. Ty Lee looks at Azula in horror.

"What's the matter with you, Azula?"

"I'm... not sure I know who I am," Azula's voice faltered, "and every time I want to say something about myself, it turns out to be a lie...what if my problem gets worse and I lose the ability to speak at all?"

While Ty Lee, risking finding her clothes on a tree, was trying to prove to Azula that she needed hugs and that Azula it Azula, Zuko was too busy. He lay down on the sand again and began to think-for the first time in three years, not about himself. Another detail in his mind fell into place, and the image of Azula in his head shifted.

After the beach, Zuko's first move was to Iroh.

"Uncle, I'm worried about Azula. With her...There's something wrong with her. She gasps when she says something she is absolutely sure of, as if she is losing the ability to speak at all and I am afraid that her spiritual illness is getting worse and may deprive her of her mind! I know you don't care that I'm ruining my life, but I don't want to lose my little sister too, even if you think she's already crazy! Uncle, how exactly did she lose the ability to lie?"

Iroh sighed heavily and turned to Zuko. The moment has come to open his eyes to some...aspects of family relationships.

"Zuko, go to the central temple of the Caldera and ask the Sage of Fire Shisa, asking him to reveal the secret of Azula's soul. When he refuses, show him this," said Iroh, giving the prince a chip with a White Lotus flower, after which he turned away.

Zuko realized that the audience was over and headed for the temple. Sage Shisui did not refuse for a long time and took the prince to a remote corner of the temple, where he told the story.

-------------------------------

It was the day when Ozai voluntarily crossed the threshold of the temple for the first time in his life.

As the old law of Agni says, if one of his descendants brings his newborn child to his temple, he will share his power with the baby in exchange for an important part of the child's soul. It was intended that the Fire Lord would resort to Agni's help only in times of need, but since then the value of children has fallen in the eyes of the Fire Lords.

Azulon did not bring Iroh to the temple because he loved his eldest son and did not want to burn his soul. Azulon did not bring Ozai to the temple because he hated his son, who had deprived him of his wife and did not want to give him strength. Ozai was not an Azulon and therefore did not worry much about the child's soul if there was a chance to temper the instrument. There was a spark in her eyes, she lit the fluff with her breath, she was born in the middle of summer, she was a future great magician and therefore Ozai took Azula to the temple without hesitation.

The second son of Azulon laid his daughter on the altar and patiently waited for the end of the ritual and for the answer of the Fire Sage , waiting for exactly which part would burn in exchange for power. Pity? Or trust? And maybe love? Ozai would have been fine with anyoption.

"Your daughter will not be able to lie," the sage proclaimed, and Ozai did not burn him only because Azulon would be displeased with such sacrilege from his unloved son. Agni chose the part of his soul that the prince would like to keep.

"What's the use of a princess who can't cheat?" She won't live at court for five years," Ozai grumbled.

The Sage looked at Ozai with an ironic smile, which the prince mentally vowed to burn out as soon as he became the Lord of Fire.

"No one was talking about cheating, it was about lying. She will speak and write only the truth."

Ozai nodded understandingly and straightened up, an idea clearly came to his head how to circumvent Agni's curse.

"This also applies to sign language," the Sage hastily said, catching the prince's gaze, which he threw at the child's throat.

Ozai's shoulders slumped again.

-------------------------------

"Then why can't my sister talk about herself anymore?"

"Prince Zuko, if you had been asked questions about yourself three years ago, how much of what you would have said turned out to be a lie? Self-deception is also a lie."

Zuko began to think.

A few weeks later, a military meeting began regarding the uprising of the earthbenders. Zuko babbled something about the strength and valor of the enemy, apparently trying to earn a new scar, and this caused his sister unpleasant memories. Azula didn't pull him out of Ba Sing Se to get Zuzu kicked out again. And she has to prove her loyalty. So she blurted out one of those crazy ideas that will never come to life, but sound like the basis for a normal plan.

"Why don't we just burn down their remaining lands along with hope?"

For example, sacred places. Or the woods where they hide. Or several cities. It's amazing how little territory the Earth Kingdom has left after the fall of Ba Sing Se.

Ozai stood up and announces his intention to burn down the entire Kingdom of the Earth. This is not a normal plan, for many reasons, but Azula did not intend to say this, her face is too symmetrical for arguments with her Father.

Ozai did not doubt his daughter's loyalty and therefore did not pay attention to the fact that it was a question, not a statement, and that beads of sweat were running down her neck. A desperate hope burned brightly in Zuko's chest, and he tried to listen to his sister.

That's why Zuko noticed.

"Azula," Zuko said with deep doubt in his prudence an hour later. "Promise me that you won't kill me, you'll hurt me for our conversation and won't tell anyone about it or what we're going to discuss."

"You do realize that even so, I can just put you away for treason?"

Zuko sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He already regretted starting the conversation, but his sister was too smart and had already guessed what was going on, so it was too late to back down.

"And not to arrest either."

"I promise. After all, I can always kill you for being a bore."

"We both know that Agni's gift doesn't work that way."

"The gift of Agni?", Azula became interested.

And Zuko told everything he had learned in the temple.

"My fire, my soul...", Zuko's sister stared into the void.

It was a blow when everything falls into place. Her Father, who demanded perfection, but almost never scolded her for her inability to lie. Her mother, who avoided a child with a burnt soul. Her blue fire, the fruit of long hard work, turned out to be just a gift from Agni. And she was always afraid that her Father would do to her the way he did to Zuko-not knowing that it was actually the other way around-he did to Zuko the way he did to her. For no reason or reason on her part, he made her what he urged her not to be. Imperfect. And she couldn't even accuse Zuko of lying, because her brother also couldn't lie so well - no curse of spirits, just Zuzu is Zuzu.

Azula wanted to hate Zuko for his ruthless truth, but she knew she couldn't.

Zuko could have said that you can live with a burned soul as well as with a burned face. Zuko could say that even if blue fire is a gift, then deep knowledge, sharp mind and physical abilities are still the fruits of her labor and since fire was not blue from birth, then it was still necessary to achieve it. But Zuko is only 16, he does not know how to comfort well and does not know Azula well, whom he has not seen for three years and whom he did not consider a sister for five years.

So he just hugged his little sis, and it was enough to revive the princess's unhappy spirit in ten minutes.

"Tell me, when are you going to run to the Avatar and how are you going to get your uncle out of prison?"

"How did you guess?" Zuko sighed again.

"I just imagined the stupidest thing you could think of."

"Azula," instead of answering, Zuko takes a deep breath for his speech, which he has been composing since visiting the temple, "our father..."

"... a terrible man, bl inded by power, who burned his own son and daughter? I'm cursed by Agni, Zuzu, I can't lie to myself either, at least out loud, you already know. I was also surprised to realize that I was more afraid of my father than I loved him."

"So are you with me?"

Azula looked up and saw more in Zuko's eyes than he could say.

I'm your brother. Ozai not father. I'm waiting for you, Sister. Just don't give me a reason to hate you.

Not the best message, but their family was too crippled for a perfect relationship. The girl with the wound on her soul, more extensive than the burn from Agni, was filled with confidence, which she had not felt for a long time.

"Of course, Zuzu. It's strange that you have doubts."

He didn't think she would agree, it's just that a good person should help his sister. He planned to leave her if she refused, because Azula always went with the flow. If your mother thinks you're a monster, just confirm her guesses. If your friends have forgiven your manners in three years, show them the flame. If the father demand the impossible, do not argue it, do not run away, do not betray - just do the impossible. No one has ever put so much effort into going with the flow, except for Zuko himself. He really didn't think she would agree. But his still prepared a war balloon for three.

"Why?" came a popped out question from Zuko.

Because you're my brother and I love you more than I was jealous of you.

Because you're my brother and the only one who gave me a choice.

Because you are my brother and I will not let you go into the unknown anymore.

Because you are my brother and I will protect you.

"Because you are my brother and if anyone kills you, it will be me. And don't ask any more stupid questions, dumb-dumb."

They ran away, leaving notes for their familie and dears. Unfortunately, these are not overlapping categories.

"Zuko, are you sure we need this uncle fatso?"

"Uncle protected the Avatar in Ba Sing Se, he is our pass to his group," Zuko replied without slowing down.

He didn't want his love for his uncle to be ridiculed again, so he didn't mention it. As if Azula herself doesn't know the real reason.

"How long have you been so pragmatic?"

"I'm just speaking the same language as you."

"I'm glad you've finally learned the language of smart people."

Uncle is no longer in prison. Azula was already getting used to him disappearing exactly when she needed him.

When Ozai chased the annoying kids out of Avatar's company after the end of the eclipse, he was surprised to find that his own annoying kids had also disappeared, leaving only a letter with a detailed list of their grievances. Judging by the handwriting, they wrote each grievance in turn, through one. To his surprise, Zuko's list of grievances ended earlier than Azula's.

On the way to the Temple of Air, the brother and sister exchanged awkward glances. After three years of separation, they had a lot to talk about. After running away from their Father, it seemed to them that they had not seen each other for five years.

"The clouds are like that...fluffy," Zuko finally started the conversation.

"Cumulus."

A minute passed.

"And so white."

"Yes, Zuko, very white."

One more minute.

"So many clouds..."

"Zuko, don't say another word about clouds while you're in a thin basket over the ocean with your highly flammable sister."

Ten more minutes

- Do you think Uncle will adopt us?

- Only you. I refuse to be his daughter.

- Do you want to remain Ozai's daughter?

- I haven't decided yet. But I am sure that among the generals or admirals there will be someone worthy to be a father.

- Oh, so you decided to become Chan's sister?

- No, shut up!

Zuko's laughter at the angry Azula echoed over the water surface. The princess didn't want to talk to her dumb-dumb anymore. The sister could not remain silent next to her brother. And the burn from Agni has nothing to do with it.

"Hello. Zuko is here," Zuko awkwardly waved his hand a few hours later in the Temple of Air.

"And this is not the worst news for you today," Azula came out from behind the bushes and smiled rapaciously at the Avatar.

The last bridge home was burned.

Chapter Text

For a moment, dead silence reigned in the Temple of Air. After that, the winds howled in the air and boomerangs, pieces of ice began to fly, as well as questions from a little blind girl about why they attack people who are just standing.

"I have come to redeem myself before the world, to teach Aang fire magic and help him destroy the Lord Fire," Zuko proclaimed when Aang's embarrassment at the attempt by himself and his friends to harm people who really just stand still reached a certain limit, after which he stopped his friends.

"I'm here to make sure that you don't offend my brother," Azula continued cheekily.

Katara breathed out indignantly. "This prince was chasing us all over the world like animals, almost killed each of us several times, burned villages, took hostages and are you afraid that we will offend him?"

"He is very vulnerable," Azula nodded, then pushed Zuko with her elbow to his to considerable surprise and embarrassment. "Everything will be fine, Zuko, they already respect you."

"Azula, I'm really ashamed of what I did," Zuko groaned. "How can you respect me for this?"

"You showed courage and strength, I don't care about the morality of your actions," the princess retorted.

"Being her brother is hard too," Sokka couldn't help but sympathize.

Katara cast a cold glance at Sokka, promising long hours full of pouring water.

"The funny thing is that she's telling the truth," Toph reported.

Zuko choked on air and looked at her in surprise.

"What?"

"She's our live lie detector and will easily figure out your sister's dirty secrets," Sokka grinned.

Zuko and Azula looked at each other dumbfounded. Azula was the first to break down and her slightly hysterical laughter swept over the temple. Zuko soon joined in the laughter, while the others looked at them like idiots.

"She, she... oh, Agni, now I want to buy her glasses... they will help her just like she helped them now..."

"Azula... oh... don't laugh at the blind...uh… We should have told them right away..."

"No, it's okay, I like such jokes," Toph replied a little tensely, "But what's wrong with you two?"

"I'm sorry," Zuko finally managed to overcome his laughter. "It's just that Azula can't lie. This part of her soul is burned out."

A thoughtful silence reigned in the camp until Sokka, as the unspoken leader in incomprehensible situations, took responsibility and asked a question.

"What?"

"This is an ancient way to negotiate with the spirits, you need to bring your child, then the spirit of Agni will take away part of the soul in exchange for power for the child."

"Is something wrong?" asked Azula, looking at the terrified majority of the group.

"Wait, so all this time Azula was only telling the truth, but she still managed to capture the Kingdom of Earth?", the insufficiently spiritual Sokka was surprised.

"To take away a part of her own daughter's soul," Katara, despite the rage burning in her, was shocked, such sacrilege defied all her maternal instincts. "And you call this monster father and protect him!"

"Called and protected," Azula corrected laconically. "My family has recently been reduced to Zuko, not literally, unfortunately."

"There is still an uncle," said Iroh's beloved nephew.

"I decide for myself who my relative is."

"So are you really here just to protect Zuko?", Aang decided to clarify, who was unnerved by the prospect of co-existence with the princess who killed him.

"Besides, Zuko looks better against my background..."

"Better" solely from the point of view of peasant morality. That doesn't make me any worse than Zuko", thought the princess.

"... and Zuko is a better chance that you will take him in.," Azula blurted out and mentally kicked herself.

"This tactic really works," Sokka muttered.

Toph smiled dirty.

"So you don't know how to lie. And if I ask, what kind of underwe..."

"I will burn your legs so that you will forever become a helpless blind girl," Azula replied evenly.

"Even if you can, you will still give an answer before that..."

"She's really going to do it," Zuko shuddered. "There is a reason why she was the Agni Kai champion among girls. One of her rivals still can't speak."

"This insolent bitch asked about our family's secret. She won't tell anyone else," Azula said fiercely.

Katara started up again.

"Aang, not only do these monsters make friends, they also threaten us!"

"I suppose she has the right to a private life," the Avatar replied in confusion, thinking about the problems of forgiveness.

Katara was angry again.

"Aang, these monsters are not only trying to pretend to be friends, they are also threatening us!"

"I suppose she has a right to privacy," the Avatar replied in confusion, reflecting on the problems of forgiveness.

Zuko decided to act as a peacemaker.

"Everything is fine, it's just that Azula needs to ask questions correctly. For example, do not ask "Azula, what is your favorite color?"...

"Red", Azula replied.

"... need to declare your interest, for example, "I'm thinking about what your favorite color is" or at least ask "Azula, can I ask your favorite color?"

"You can," Azula replied and sighed. "I'm really not going to burn you for no reason, but my secrets are my secrets. And if it makes you feel better, I don't cripple people for every irrelevant question. If that were the case, then Zuko would have more than one scar on his face."

Azula saw the displeased looks of others, replayed what she had said in her head and decided to clarify.

"No, his scar wasn't my doing. I haven't burned or maimed brothers and allies for no good reason since I was six years old."

"You broke Ty Lee's leg," Zuko retorted.

"She fell from a tree," Azula replied doubtfully, who had seen her friend fall and still could not believe that an acrobat could fall from a tree. Probably should have chosen a less rotten tree.

"Because you threw her skirt up a tree."

"I like her," Toph laughed.

Katara gave Toph an icy look, obviously forgetting about the earth mage's blindness.

"That's because you haven't spent three weeks at Aang's bedside."

Azula is bored with this unconstructive discussion.

"You have three options. Accept us, bind us, or accept only Zuko and bind me. If you kick me out, I will become a haunting nightmare for you."

"We're already used to it," Sokka grumbled. "Although it's more likely that Zuko was a haunting nightmare, and you just appeared out of nowhere to destroy everything we were working on."

Azula was flattered. These people could definitely appreciate a job well done. Maybe they'll work together. The princess wondered if it was time to use her main argument, and came to the conclusion that her opponents were not yet mentally ready, and she herself had not yet fully figured out their weaknesses.

"Or we can kick you both out," Katara announced.

“No. Zuko is determined to redeem himself and I will not let nobody get in the way," Azula objected.

The princess did not say that Zuko himself would not allow himself to be rejected, and with the tenacity of a nestling following a mother turtleduck, he would pursue the Avatar with a demand to accept himself to them. Why say something that everyone understands anyway?

"Great, now we have two moms," Toph sighed wearily.

Katara choked with rage and temporarily withdrew from the discussion. Azula thought that if Katara had been born her sister, this world would have already been burned to the ground. Fortunately for this world, the girl was born in the culture of a Southern tribe that did not understand the inability to contain anger — too nervous and irritable people usually often fell off boats, sometimes even through their own fault.

"Azula, we can't take Zuko without proof of his decency," Sokka, the unspoken head of the HR department, continued the interview.

It sounded like, "I'm going to prove that he's not worthy." The princess decided that it was better than if they were rejected for no reason.

"He freed Aang from Zhao's captivity," Azula replied.

"How do you know?", Zuko was surprised.

Only you had the motive and the skills.
You are Zhao's enemy and a master of disguise.
It was your favorite character.
Because you were acting like an idiot as usual.

"I understood by the mask and the weapon. It's strange that your father didn't recognize you."

"He stopped being a father before the Blue Spirit became my favorite hero," Zuko replied sadly.

"Is there anything else to say in his favor besides kidnapping Aang for personal purposes?" asked Sokka.

Azula remembered that this water peasant is astute and draws conclusions quickly. But he loves trying to figure out things he doesn't understand too much. She just needs to throw more firewood into the chaos and then Sokka will continue to try to figure out what is happening, Katara will stop interfering, speechless with rage, Toph will be more interesting with them and, most importantly, the Avatar will get used to the fact that Zuko is an ordinary person. And then she'll crush them with facts.

"He feeds the turtleduck," Azula replied, again ahead of Zuko.

Her brother choked in surprise.

"What's special about this?", Sokka was surprised.

"I don't like them. You need to be Zuko to feed them voluntarily."

"What's wrong with them?" Zuko couldn't stand it. "This is a rhetorical question," Zuko recalled the curse of Azula.

They are a memory of the split in our family.

"Do they bite."

"Is there anything other than love for animals?" asked Sokka.

"I freed the Avatar's bison," Zuko replied.

"I said besides animals..."

"Appa is not an animal, he is our friend!" exclaimed Aang.

Azula rolled her eyes and suddenly remembered the main thing.

"And also that story with the unlucky conscripts from the 41st ..."

"Azula," Zuko said sternly, and his sister, to her and his surprise, shut up. "I have to tell this case myself."

This is his story and Azula will not be able to honor the memory of those guys or at least not make fun of them.

"I was 13 years old, I visited the Military Council for the first time. Uncle Iroh told me to be quiet, but as always I didn't listen. One of the generals suggested sending the 41st Division, consisting of new recruits against veterans of earthbending, into battle. He called them fresh meat. I was indignant, I shouted that you can't sacrifice your people. Father...Fire Lord proclaimed that I should fight on Agni Kai. When I realized that the fight would not be with the general, but with my father, I refused to fight, and my father burned my face for my cowardice and banished me to look for an Avatar. He said that I had lost my honor and could only regain it by doing something that my grandfather and great-grandfather could not do. And when I woke up, I found out that 41st had died in full force. They were only a year older than you."

Azula shivered imperceptibly at these memories.

"So that's why you've been tried to catch me so hard," Aang muttered.

"I said that when we first met!", Zuko exclaimed.

The Princess rolled her eyes. Zuzu is always so indignant when people don't listen to his problems.

"I was busy saving my life! I didn't listen to your words!", Aang continued the dispute.

Katara finally pulled herself together.

"It's a very touching story, but in fact, I think Zuko is even less trustworthy than his sister."

Azula choked this time.

"Unlike Zuko, she didn't betray us. And she followed us for less time than her brother."

Azula blinked, not believing what was happening. The idea that in someone's eyes she was a lesser monster than Zuzu would have been funny in any other situation.

"Therefore, I don't think Zuko is worthy of trust."

Azula decided that there was only one explanation for what was happening — the water peasant deliberately drowned Zuko's reputation, because then both Zuko and Azula would have to leave. A good move for someone born in a snowdrift, if you forget about Zuko's stubbornness.

"Since we found out that I am more trustworthy, then I put myself forward for the role of a teacher," retorted Azula.

"I didn't say that you were worthy...", Katara waved her hands.

"You said yourself that I am more worthy than animal friend, Avatar savior and selfless defender of Zuko's youth soldiers."

Toph burst out laughing.

"Why do we need any of you at all?", Sokka suddenly asked.

"To teach Avatar firebending," Azula replied.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"You should have said that before she answered," the princess's older brother frowned.

"I mean, there's also their uncle, who has proven himself to be the good."

"Great idea, Sokka," Toph praised him. "Let's throw away the guy who hasn't killed anyone yet..."

"Not that he wouldn't try," Katara muttered.

"... and will go to no one knows where to pull out of captivity the Dragon of the West, whose hands have been soaked in blood for decades."

It's a pity we didn't take uncle, you would have looked like a saint against his background," Azula whispered.

Instead of the answer Zuko tried to insult Azula to look.

"Their uncle is a good man!" said Katara.

"Maybe they are too, we haven't seen them for two months," Toph grinned.

"She killed Aang! How can a murderer become a good person?"

"So you also agree that their uncle is a bad person."

"I thought you liked their uncle, Toph," Sokka remarked.

"Yes, he's a nice old man. And he said that Zuko is a good person inside. And you promised to accept him when his kindness is on the outside. Here she is outside."

"Where?" asked Sokka.

"On the silver platter on which he brought the lessons of firebending. Or did you lie to grandpa then, who came to help save your sister?", Toph continued to press, provoking Katara's puzzled look in the direction of Sokka.

"How little we know about our uncle," Zuko muttered.

"You're twisting my words, I didn't promise!" exclaimed Sokka. "We say Zuko hasn't done anything yet to be good."

"He saved Appa!" exclaimed Aang. "Besides, he has good intentions. I don't think we should take away his chance to redeem himself."

"Two out of four for us," Azula thought.

"What about her?" asked Katara.

"Didn't we find out that I'm more moral than Zuko?", Azula scoffed.

"As if you know anything about morality," Katara muttered.

"Don't worry, I won't burden you, I won't be with you, but with my brother."

"No, it doesn't work that way," Sokka said. "And I don't believe either of them."

Katara nodded in agreement. Azula sighed slowly, the situation had reached a dead end. Without hesitating anymore, the princess took out a trump card from her sleeve.

"Earth Kingdom will die without us."

Silence reigned in the Temple again.

"Yes," Zuko said gloomily, not wanting to bring up the subject because of his participation in the meeting. "The Lord of Fire intends to burn the former Kingdom of Earth to the ground, starting with Ba Sing Se."

"Who would you have to be to want to burn down the largest city in the world?" asked Katara in disbelief.

"Our uncle", Azula thought.

"So... how will your presence save them?" Sokka asked cautiously.

"If you take us in, we will reveal the plans of the Fire Master and teach the Avatar firebending."

"If you were good people, you would reveal your father's plans unconditionally," Katara spat out.

Azula's patience snapped. She gave them a chance to be responsible people and accept them as allies, but they refused. She gave them a chance to become victims of her blackmail, they refused. Stop coddling them, it's time to trample them into the mud. Azula squared her shoulders with pleasure, measured those around her with an arrogant look and gave vent to her anger.

"My brother and I are betraying the most terrible and powerful man in the world in an extremely insulting manner, making ourselves a target for the most powerful state in the History of humanity, and you reject us out of an insufficiently pleasant way for you to offer our services? We are the prince and princess of the Fire Nation, we don't have to beg you to accept us, we don't even need you to end the war, we could just wait for our father's death and then stop the conflict. We are here because Zuko does not intend to participate in the death of people, waiting for the death of our father! We have an heir to the throne who can end the war, we have a firebending curriculum, we have two of the greatest firebenders of the four, we have plans for the Fire Nation and knowledge of where and when Ozai will be, and you reject it for no good reason! Don't tell me about distrust — I can't lie, I'm incapable of keeping silent, you have a live lie detector, you don't have a single reason to reject us! Come on, Zuko, let's find some iceberg and freeze into it until a new, more conscious Avatar grows. We won't have to wait long, because his friends intend to unleash him against the greatest firebender without weapons, just because for them to see the annoyance on our faces is more important than winning the war and their friend's life!"

Azula barely hid a triumphant smile at the sight of shame on the faces of Aang and Sokka. Toph was grinning contentedly, knowing that what was said did not apply to her. Katara was still looking at Zuko and Azula with displeasure, but she didn't say anything.

"I guess it's time to vote. Aang?", Sokka spoke up.

"I think we should give them a chance. They won't have a better time for this."

"Toph?"

"You know my opinion, I agree to accept the family of Fiery Heels."

"Katara?"

"I'm still against who we take, but we have no other way out."

"I'm also in favor. Welcome aboard."

After the organizational issues were resolved and a cozy premises was found for the royal family, located as far away from Aang as possible, there was a knock on the door of their room.

Opening the door, Azula saw Katara standing with a threatening face.

"Zuko, Katara came here to say that if we touch anyone with a finger, she will freeze our eyes, dry our bodies, turn our blood into thousands of ice needles, and our tongues..."

"I don't have such a perverted fantasy like you, but that's right," Katara interrupted her. "I don't trust both of you and I'll be watching you with both eyes."

"I'll be watching you too, and if I see even a drop of water on Zuko...", Azula grinned.

Katara slammed the door in the princess's face.

"You're not even trying to be friendly with them," Zuko grumbled.

"I don't need to be friends with them. I'm only here to outlive my father and not let you do anything stupid."

"They're good people," Zuko, with the greatest effort of will, missed his sister's banter.

"This is a gang of idiots and Toph."

"You singled out Toph separately," Zuko remarked.

"Yes, she's the only person I like here. She has common sense."

Zuko paused for a moment.

"Azula, I'd like to know if you're okay. You've been fighting for the People of Fire for so long, and now we're going to make our country lose the war and all your successes will turn to ashes."

"You're looking at the situation the wrong way. I ended the war by capturing Ba Sing Se. We won. Now we are just eliminating the father who is interfering with the peace talks and sway the Avatar to our side."

Zuko sighed. The process of persuading Azula promised to be long.

Chapter Text

Azula's day didn't go well in the morning.

Firstly, Zuko managed to sleep through the sunrise for as much as half an hour, asking for a good kick, and the only thing that saved him from a harsh wake-up was Azula's desire to find out how much her brother would sleep through the sunrise. She always knew that Zuko was weaker than her as a firebender, but he couldn't be that weak.

Secondly, Katara apparently decided to take revenge somehow, so she gave Azula a plate with something from the bottom of the cauldron. The princess rolled her eyes at such pettiness and exchanged plates with Sokka when he turned away.

"I don't rule out that you might be trying to poison me," she said before anyone asked a direct question and she would have to admit that she didn't want to eat it.

"We are not like that!" Katara exclaimed.

"In fact, she has reason to suspect you," Sokka said sourly after examining Azula's former portion.

"I didn't count on two new mouths," Katara snapped. "If you don't like it, Princess, then cook it yourself."

Azula decided that Katara was not as petty and stupid as she had thought yesterday, she was just too emotional.

The third reason was the camp meeting. Most of all, Azula was afraid that they would be asked to apologize, as if she were a team of friends, not allies. Azula could only ask Ty Lee for forgiveness —seeing the acrobat's tears was unbearable for any intelligent being who was not Ozai and, possibly, Azulon. It never came out in words to apologize to Mai, it always escalated into an exchange of verbal jabs, an even bigger quarrel and Mai's expulsion from the palace for a couple of days. It was easier to wait until both girls cooled down and exchange nods. The easiest thing was with Zuko — they just came to a tacit decision never to remember mutual grudges. In the end, they were always close, even when they were brought together not by brotherly love, but by mutual hatred, they shared common character flaws and each of them had at least one bad parent. But how to deal with a gang of emotional moralists without burning them, Azula did not know. But fortunately, apparently she was considered unworthy of forgiveness.

"Azula, I forgive you," Aang smiled broadly when minor household issues, during which Zuko was appointed to the role of the main lighter of the squad.

The forcibly forgiven princess cursed inwardly—she still had to go through with it.

"I didn't ask for that," Azula replied.

Toph smiled broadly.

"And this is not necessary. By forgiving you, I can move on. And you too, as soon as you decide that you want forgiveness," smiled the Avatar.

Sokka and Katara exchanged glances—Aang's philosophy still baffled them.

"I don't feel guilty. If the situation had happened again, I would have done the same."

Zuko slapped himself in the face.

"So you're ready to kill Aang again?" Katara jumped up.

Azula took a deep breath and exhaled.

"Let me put it another way. Let's imagine that the Lord of Fire suddenly showed up here and wants to kill me. Would you mind if I killed him?"

"No, because.." Aang began.

"Well, he doesn't want to kill me," the princess changed the terms.

"It's not about you..." Aang tried to interrupt.

"...but, for example, Toph."

"Still not," Aang replied and deftly dodged a piece of dirt thrown at him.

"Why?" Azula was genuinely surprised

"He's still a human," Aang frowned.

"Personally, I prefer to think of him as an unreasonable, all—destroying force," Sokka interjected.

Azula nodded approvingly.

"That's exactly how the Fire Nation perceives the Avatar. And let's be honest — that's exactly what he is in the Avatar state. In that cave, I saw no other way to escape. It's a simple instinct of self-preservation."

And also the instinct of Zuko-preservation, but she does not voluntarily admit it. In addition, that battle led to the restoration of relations with Zuko and the only victim miraculously survived, so in Azula's opinion that day was definitely a good one.

"So you don't care that you killed Aang," Katara continued to bend her line.

Zuko shifted beside him. He was torn between wanting to apologize for supporting his sister in the catacombs and being unable to formulate it in such a way that Azula wouldn't set his pants on fire for it.

The Princess rolled her eyes.

"I definitely don't like that there was someone like Aang on the other end of the lightning bolt. I do not seek to exterminate underage pacifists."

"That's enough for me," Aang nodded.

"Wait, what?" Katara jumped up again. "Are you just giving her forgiveness?"

"Did you listen to the part where Aang says he's doing it for himself?" Azula glared at Katara.

Aang jumped up and stood between the disgruntled girls.

"I'm glad we've sorted this out. But the comet is already close and I need to learn firebending. Especially considering how wrong my previous training went," Aang shuddered at the memories.

Is the avatar a pyrophobe? Azula shook her head.

"I'm ready, Sifu Azula," Aang nodded.

"Wait, what makes you think I'm going to teach you?" Azula asked.

"You are the most talented fire mage I know," Aang was taken aback, not expecting a refusal.

Azula barely restrained herself from sighing. "Avatar's Sifu" would sound good in her future glorious biography, but if Ozai outlives Avatar, then it will definitely be a very short biography. And "she groveled in front of her father for fourteen years, and then changed her mind and burned" is definitely not the memory she would like to leave behind.

"That's right, but Zuko has to teach you, at least until you get beyond the basics. He knows this better than I do.

Zuko had been listening to Iroh about the basics for three years, and that made him a better teacher than... no, not better, just more suitable for teaching elementary firebending courses than Azula. In addition, after Agni Kai, he had to essentially learn magic anew, adjusting to problems with vision and hearing and overcoming the fear of fire. The perfect teacher for a young pyrophobe.

"I agree, Aang," both flattered and slightly embarrassed, Zuko nodded.

After the end of the meeting, Zuko took Aang away to teach him firebending. Azula was tempted to go and watch, and laugh at the same time, but decided not to risk her relationship with her brother — it would be difficult to restore them again, because she probably wouldn't be allowed to kill Aang a second time. Instead, she set about preparing for comet day by honing her techniques.

And in the evening, Zuko returned and voiced the fourth reason why it was a bad day.

"I lost my firebending."

That explained why he had overslept the sunrise. Only her brother could have managed to lose the fire at such an inopportune moment.

Katara giggled nearby.

"I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago. Azula, have you lost your flame too?"

Azula silently showed her fire and Katara fell silent in disappointment.

"Well, it's not lost. It's just...weaker for some reason," Zuko continued.

Azula thought deeply about the possible causes and returned to reality only when Toph began to talk about how she was taught by badgermoles.

"...It was their way of interacting with the world." the girl finished solemnly.

"At least that explains your perpetually dirty appearance," Azula said.

So, a disciple of the true magicians of the earth? It's interesting, it opens up opportunities.

"I prefer to be with my element," Toph replied, not yet fully recovered from pleasant memories. "It helps in working with her."

"Are you suggesting to set Zuko on fire?" Sokka perked up.
"No one sets Zuko on fire without my permission," Azula said.

"No arson," Toph came to her senses. "Just find... who are the first firebenders?"

"An extinct species," Azula replied grimly, recalling her childhood disappointment at the news that the last dragon had been killed by her uncle.

"What, adequate firebenders?" Katara suggested.

"No, people like me are only on the verge of extinction," Azula replied, barely restraining herself from calling the southern waterbenders an endangered species.

"That's enough, both of you shut up!" Zuko shouted, either anticipating a useless quarrel, or guessing Azula's thoughts.

"The first firebenders are dragons, but they really died out."
Aang wanted to say something, but changed his mind.

"But perhaps there is another way," Zuko recalled. "The first people who learned from dragons were the ancient Warriors of the Sun. Their ruins are not far from here, and if Avatar and I go there…

"Not!" Katara said. "I'm not letting Zuko go with Aang."

"But he's going to come home before dinner and put on a sun hat, Mommy," Toph said sarcastically.

"I don't trust these two," Katara pointed with her chin at Ozai's offspring, after unsuccessfully trying to convey her displeasure to Toph with a look. For some mysterious reason, the blind girl did not notice the gaze of the waterbender.

"I will remain as a hostage," the princess announced.

"I don't think it's safe to hold Azula hostage," Sokka said doubtfully.

"Are you suggesting to fly to the Land of Fire and take hostages there?" Toph suggested enthusiastically.

"No, this is a bad idea and Katara will be against it, she does not like when water magicians take fire people hostage.

Have you heard about bloodbending, Azula?" Sokka asked.

In fact, every member of the camp, except Katara, managed to tell his own version of the story about bloodbending. Azula had little faith in all this —not in bloodbending, but in a story that resembled those horror stories that Mei, Azula and Ty Lee told each other as children. They mostly told Mei and Ty Lee — stories from Azula were too full of phrases like "as it was written", "I heard", "if I could lie, I would say that ..." and other reservations, which spoiled the whole impression. Therefore, Azula's role was to create a fire that set the right mystical atmosphere — especially when the fire turned blue. But Zuko managed to tell stories even worse than she did, so Azula didn't complain.

"Yes," The princess replied threateningly. "And enough of direct questions."

"Sorry," Sokka was embarrassed. "I'm not used to it yet."
Azula narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the apology. The snow warrior clearly wanted something from her.

"In general, either Aang and I are trying to somehow restore my fire in the ruins of the Sun Warriors, or Azula will be his teacher."

Zuko's sister immediately made her most bloodthirsty expression.

"Okay," Katara resigned herself with displeasure.

In the morning, Zuko and Aang went on an archaeological expedition. Azula looked after her brother thoughtfully. If they fail to solve the problem, then she will remain the only fire mage on the day of the comet. And the princess will also become a lighter, which would be no less unpleasant.

"Do you think Zuko will stab Aang in the back, Azula?" Sokka asked anxiously, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Don't worry, he'll read a long rant beforehand, like the one he wanted to make in front of Ozai when we left," Azula replied, trying to kill the interlocutor with a look.

"Sorry, I forgot about your problem again," Sokka was embarrassed, correctly deciphering the princess's look.

Azula thought again that he definitely needed something. Constant apologies, attempts to start a conversation…

"Don't apologize to Azula," Katara replied.

"Everyone has the right to keep secrets," Sokka replied.

"Honest people have nothing to hide,— Katara retorted.

"Really?" Azula grinned. "Who did you kiss for the first time, Katara?

"I... you…"

"That's a rhetorical question, Katara" Azula said sarcastically.

Instead of answering, Katara went up to Azula, looked into her eyes and, with the intonation of a man plunging a knife into her heart, asked.

"Do you like killing, Azula? And this is not a rhetorical question."

"No. I like a lot of things that your gang would consider immoral, but murder is not one of them," Azula replied coolly."

"We're not a gang. We are the Boomerang squad," Sokka corrected.

"That's a lie," came Toph's singsong voice, to Katara's brother's embarrassment.

"By the way, Toph, I need you," Azula said.

"Why do you need Toph?" Katara frowned suspiciously.

"I need someone who will look at my training from the outside."

"Are you sure I can see your flaws?" Toph replied with a sneer.

"I'm sure you have a good eye."

"Well, I won't take my eyes off you."

"Mind you, you're not just going to stare."

"I bet Katara didn't even understand what we were talking about?" Toph sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Sokka asked.

"You see who I live with," Toph grinned.

"Since you're blind, I'll tell you—I'm looking at you sympathetically, "Azula grinned back.

"Is that an insult? Okay, princess, let's go evaluate your techniques, but only if you let me kick your ass in sparring," Toph grabbed Azula by the sleeve.

"How lucky, I just developed a technique that neutralizes your seismic vision," the Azula replied, politely unhooking the girl from herself, after which she carefully wiped her sleeve.

"And how long have you been developing it?"

"From the moment I found out about your seismic vision."

Toph grinned and punched Azula in the shoulder. She kicked her in the knee in response.

"Hey, I was just paying my respects, princess!"

"Then consider my kick a favor from the royal family."

Sometimes arguing, sometimes joking, Azula and Toph went deep into the island.

When the conversation dried up on its own after ten minutes, Azula felt awkward. She had no experience dealing with children four years younger than her, so the princess tried to remember herself at the age of ten. It turned out that children at her age miss their parents and are angry at them at the same time, are under pressure, strive to be the best in their element, are underestimated by significant adults (in Ozai's case intentionally), achieve a significant breakthrough in their bending and have a disappointing older brother. Azula wasn't sure if these too specific conclusions could be extrapolated to the Toph.

"Do you have a brother?" Azula asked cautiously, deciding to start with the most likely match.

"No, Princess Sparkle, otherwise, according to our unspoken rules, he would be here," Toph quipped with a well—read bitterness in her voice. "I am an only child."

Azula came to two conclusions. First, her extrapolation method didn't work. Secondly, Toph showed weakness and urgently needed to use it. She supported her from the very beginning, which means she was important to her plans. Intimidate her would have worked, but Azula has not yet seen the ground for manipulation. And so fate gave her a chance to show her willingness to comfort. The Princess frantically went through the options. Ty Lee's method was not suitable — Azula was categorically against hugging anyone voluntarily, especially dirty children. Mai's method was more like a surgical operation without anesthesia. The Zuzu method... did not exist in nature. It remained to improvise.

"You're lucky, I haven't heard of parents who can focus on more than one child," Azula ventured.

Although even this did not help Mai, her parents managed to give preference to a child who was not even born at the time of her daughter's rejection.

Toph chuckled doubtfully,

"No, being the center of family attention sucks. Just imagine that they devote all their free time to you alone."

Azula remembered three years alone with her father. Yes, she understood.

Toph clearly felt a shiver run through Azula's skin and smiled.
"It's nice to feel when you are really understood." Toph continued, "I was also cut off from everyone in the early days. It was when some crazy princess was catching us. Are you related to her?

"No. She's Zuko's sister, and I don't have crazy sisters," Azula coolly replied to the tease.

"She wouldn't let us sleep at night, and we wouldn't let each other live during the day. They wanted to put me to work too, but I wanted to live my own separate life from them, the Sugar Princess and I argued about it. One day she said she wished I could see the stars!"

"Sugar Princess?"

"Katara."

Azula thought about it.

"Did Katara remember about your eyesight at that moment?"

"So far, you're the only one who remembers it for more than five minutes. But I realized that Katara had forgotten about my blindness only after she sent her to heaven."

Toph's voice took on a note of nostalgia.

"And then your uncle explained to me how the team works and I reconciled with the team, and then we kicked that crazy bitch's ass together."

"Instructive," Azula said icily.

"I mean, you'll be accepted eventually, Princess Sparkle."

"I'm Azula, not Sparkle."

"That's just your opinion, Sparkle."

"I still can't believe we let Aang and Zuko go, " Katara said angrily.

"We have his sister," Sokka tried to calm his sister. He felt uncomfortable in the role of a man holding someone's sister hostage and now wondered if Zuko felt the same way when he tied Katara to a tree.

"Indeed, they have such a good relationship," Katara quipped, recalling the skirmish in the dead city.

"It looks like they've made up. Everything will be fine, we know that they are not going to betray us yet. Yes and Toph…"

"Toph," Katara suddenly froze. "What prevents her from killing Toph and escaping?"

"Don't worry, we'll hear if the fight starts."

"How? By the thunder from her lightning?" Katara became even more worried.

"I'll go keep an eye on them," Sokka decided.

Sneaking in, Sokka finally heard an outrageously normal conversation between Toph and a potential mass murderer.

"No, Princess, I don't think nicknames should directly offend people."

Normal by Toph standards, of course.

"Dumb-dumb" is not an insult."

"Does your brother know about this?"

"If he knew, he wouldn't be a dumb-dumb."

Toph muttered something softly, causing Azula to grin and the conversation took an even stranger direction.

"I still think if you decide to insult with a nickname, then so that you can't find fault," Toph said louder. "Let's take Sokka as an example."

"Why me?" thought the aforementioned Sokka.

"Half of the time his brain is better than most, and half of the time he is full of airhead. What should I call him?" Toph asked.

"Waterhead?"

"No, no, too sharply," Toph was offended for Sokka. "Let's do it differently. He's got a stupid boomerang."

Sokka felt insulted. He has a great boomerang!

"A peasant with a boomerang?"

"Somehow insipid."

"Boomerang with a peasant?"

Toph giggled. Sokka proudly raised his head and walked away, not wanting to continue listening to boring insults in his address.

"He's gone, Sparkle."

"Then let's get started, Tophus."

"That was not bad."

Azula moved to the other end of the flat area and caught fire.

When Sokka returned, Katara realized from his face that something was wrong.

"Sokka? Did she do something terrible to Toph?"

"Worse, Katara… They became friends."

Katara dropped her sewing from her hands.

In the evening, both girls returned to the camp up to their ears in mud. Toph had a satisfied smile from ear to ear, and Azula made such an arrogant face, as if she hoped that the dirt would be ashamed of its behavior and leave her on its own.

"Why is it that every time a girl joins us, the first thing she does is get dirty? We only have laundry the day after tomorrow!" Katara threw up her hands.

"I don't know. But don't worry, Sugar Princess, I have a change of clothes," Azula chuckled.

Katara stared at the nickname. When she heard about Azula's friendship with Toph, she was afraid that the princess would teach their friend bad things. She should have remembered that Toph had no less experience in this.

"I'm not Zuko, to run away from home with one old sandal from my spare clothes," Azula continued, incorrectly deciphering the look of the water magician.

A spark of understanding flashed in Katara's eyes — she was the sister of a man capable of planning a war, but unable to distinguish between his socks, after which, remembering that she would never forgive Azula in her life, she cast an evil glance at the firenender and went to finish cooking dinner.

"So, what have you been doing?" Sokka asked Toph, continuing to check the sharpness of the sword."

The correct answer is that Azula tried to intimidate Toph with her fire, just in case, and she in response tried to bring the princess down from heaven to earth. Toph did it twice, Azula never did it.

"So, bending, training with fire and earth, other women's affairs. You, lovers of big sharp sticks, will not understand," Azula grinned.

Despite the pleasant day, Azula went to bed in confusion. There was something wrong with communicating with Toph that she had never felt in communicating with Mai and Ty Lee. It was as easy to communicate with her as it was with them. They sparred, just like with her old friends. And she clearly respected her — it was incredibly annoying for Azula when someone tried to pretend to like Azula without respecting her at the same time. So what's the difference? It was only when Azula fell asleep that she realized exactly what was wrong.

Toph didn't care about her strength or her title. In her eyes, they were equal and Toph was not afraid of her.

Their friendship was doomed.

In the morning, Toph was expecting an unpleasant surprise — her new friend avoided her in every possible way, as if she did not like something about the earthbender. It was weird. They had a lot of fun yesterday, made up nicknames, rolled each other in the mud, came up with a new bending trick and, it seems, achieved mutual respect. At least Toph liked Azula. She had a healthy stubbornness and a worldview that drove others crazy, which was also fun. It could be said that there was a stone core in it.

"A steel rod," Toph corrected herself. As a metalbender, she had to adapt her vocabulary. No one will respect a metal magician who talks as if his greatest achievement is smearing dirt on other dirt.

Another person in Toph's place would have begun to doubt and wonder what he had done wrong. The earthbender was above that—obviously, it wasn't Toph's fault, but the princess, who had hammered something into her overheated head.
It was too often decided for Toph who she could be friends with and who she couldn't. Toph won't let her decide for herself anymore, even if the crazy princess prevents her from being friends with Azula.

Even if the crazy princess and her new friend are the same person.

Azula shuddered when the earth mage suddenly appeared somewhere to the side.

"I am Princess Azula. Address me normally, Toph Beifong."

Toph was taken aback for a second before realizing that Azula had decided to continue avoiding her friend. Someone else would have tried to find a subtle approach to get Azula to share her problems. But there was an earthbender on one side and a princess who couldn't lie on the other.

"Why are you avoiding me, Sparkle?"

"Because we can't stay friends. I'm not going to waste myself on a doomed cause."

Toph scratched the back of her head. Judging by Azula's slightly quickened pulse, she will endure a couple more direct questions in the forehead.

"What makes you think that?" The earthbender asked.
"I have no way to keep you."

"You don't have to hold me back, Sparkle," Toph was surprised and slightly offended by such a possessive attitude.

"And then you will get bored and you will go to more interesting people in some circus."
Azula's pulse quickened — the conversation had clearly touched some kind of emotional wound. Toph thought about it, catching the princess's self-deprecation, which she didn't seem to notice yet.

"And how is that going to stop us from being friends, Sparkle?"

Azula's pulse was racing.

"Friends should always be there for you. Always be ready to do for you…"

"Princess," Toph interrupted her venomously. "Do you need friends or subordinates? Because you can't be both at the same time."

Azula's heart, apparently only now realizing something about herself, missed a beat. The earth Mage cursed inwardly, cursing the palace upbringing. She had no doubt that if it weren't for the badger moles and the earthbending, then by the age of Azula she would have grown up to be the same antisocial fool. "Friends," the princess breathed out, heartbroken.

"Then let's go," Toph grabbed the confused Azula by the sleeve. "I need a friend's help. And if you start bossing me around, I'll kick your ass, Sparkle."

It's time to continue the reform of the language of metalbenders. And shake the princess up a bit with a good sparring session.

By nightfall, Zuko and Aang returned and danced to show how their magic had returned. The second one did not impress Azula, but the fact that Zuko finally learned to control the flame is comparable to his sister is amazing.

Fortunately, two days of training with Toph were not in vain.
"While you two were dancing around trying to get your old bending back, I developed a new technique!" Azula said arrogantly.

Azula stood at attention, then released flames from her legs and arms, soaring several meters into the air.

"This is not a new technique, our father knows how to do the same," the prince decided to spoil his sister's joy.

"He does it differently and not so high. You just don't see the difference, Zuko."

"I took her down from the tree twice until she started to work," Toph smiled.

Zuko looked at his sister mockingly. Azula tried to kick the overly talkative earthbender, but instead hit a low stone wall with her foot, which had not been there a second ago.
"Did you take Toph with you to practice firebending?" Aang asked in surprise.

"Yes. I don't like it, you know, when someone sees my bending while it's still imperfect," Azula quipped."

Toph grinned and punched Azula in the shoulder.

When everyone was going to bed, Zuko decided to talk to his sister.

"Azula, I have to discuss with you what I learned today about the fire."

Azula raised an eyebrow, showing interest—any magician who lost fire and then returned it in a stronger form deserved to be listened to.

"Fire should be fed not with anger, but with love. Or life," seeing the misunderstanding on Azula's face, Zuko realized that his new understanding of fire was more intuitive and imaginative than logical and structured. "You know, anger is like firewood, and love is like coal. There is firewood everywhere, but forests are being cut down. And coal burns better. And it's more convenient. But it is difficult to extract it, you need to build a mine, hire miners…"

"Are we still talking about the inner fire? Azula asked mockingly. " Or have you decided to become Deputy Minister of Industry for Energy?"

Zuko was confused — another of his metaphors got out of control again. "I mean, fire is not only destruction, it is life, it is an internal energy that gives strength to live ..." Zuko felt despair from his tongue-tied and froze in anticipation of ridicule.

"Okay, I accept that," Azula suddenly nodded.

"Is it that simple?" Zuko blurted out. "That's a rhetorical question," he corrected himself.

"This makes our element more important and fundamental than the others, I like it, it deserves it. Besides, fire is too beautiful to be just a tool."

Zuko beamed.

"So are you ready to put aside anger and rebuild your fire?"

"You said yourself that it's difficult and long, and the fight can start at any moment. I'm not going to be without my flame."

"You saw for yourself that anger is not reliable and can run out at any moment."

"Oh, believe me, brother, as long as our father is breathing, I have more than enough fuel."

Zuko looked at his sister in disappointment. She looked back thoughtfully.

"So you're saying fire is life? Does this mean that there is fire in all people?" She suddenly asked.

Zuko was taken aback, not expecting such a broad mindset from the princess.

"Then why aren't they citizens of the Fire National?" — Azula returned to her usual way of thinking.

"You have water in you, then why aren't you a member of the Water Tribe? This is a rhetorical question." Zuko retorted.
Azula thought about it.

"Perhaps, inside us, as in firebenders, there is a higher fire, before which others should bow?" The princess continued to ponder.

"And again, the highest water in Katara. I don't understand why you want our country's power over the world so much."
"I just want to be a princess of a better country."

"The perfect princess in the perfect country?" Zuko suddenly realized.

"An imperfect princess in an perfect country," Azula replied bitterly.

Zuko realized that it was time for a lesson from his older brother. He mentally prayed to Iroh for the transfer of some of his wisdom.

"You don't have to be perfect," Zuko said wisely, "I've always found your honesty charming," he lied.

"Did you tell Mai that on dates, Zuzu? "Your closeness is charming, your gloom is amazing," Azula suddenly snapped, as always unerringly finding a sore spot.

Zuko again turned to Airo with a prayer, this time asking for patience.

"I mean... would you like me if I were perfect?" A rhetorical question."

"I'm... not sure," Azula admitted and rubbed her nose in an uncharacteristic gesture. "When I was four years old, I thought you were perfect and I liked it. And if you had been perfect four years ago..."

"... I would have burned you out of envy." — Azula did not finish, remembering the agreement. Her brother was understandingly silent, they both remembered how bad their relationship had been in the period between their mother's disappearance and Zuko's exile.

"Go to bed, Zuko, I need to think. Good night."

Going to bed, Azula thought that the first days had gone well. She acquired at least a good friend of Toph, the Avatar overcame his pyrophobia, Zuko made another breakthrough in his firebending and most importantly, she worked out a new technique that will be needed on the day of the comet. Perhaps these days would not be as unbearable as she had thought.

But she should think about Mai and Ty Lee seriously. Very serious. Because Toph may be right and she's missing something important in her relationship with them.

And that could ruin everything.